Art at YVR

The Spirit of Haida Gwaii: The Jade Canoe is the centrepiece of the International Terminal Building and the focal point of the entire collection. Thousands of people view this stunning work everyday. It is a strikingly beautiful work, hailed by art critics as one of the most significant sculptures of the 20th century. 'Haida Gwaii' means 'Islands of the People,' yet the The Jade Canoe represents all living beings of the world.

The sculpture was first created in 1986 as a 1/6 scale clay maquette and enlarged to a full-scale model in 1988. The first bronze casting was completed in 1991. The second casting was completed in 1994 and unveiled at the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology that same year. The sculpture has been in its permanent home at YVR since 1996.

Bill Reid played a leading role in the resurgence of Northwest Coast art, specifically in the rich, but rapidly diminishing Haida cultural heritage. Ironically, Reid, considered to be one of North America's greatest Aboriginal artists was raised in Victoria B.C. as a Caucasian. As a teenager, Reid discovered that his mother was Haida. He then embarked on a life-long mission to rediscover his Aboriginal heritage. Bill Reid died in 1998, but his work and legacy continue to inspire young Aboriginal artists.